CHAPTER 449: APOLOGY

Eric thought he must have misheard. His face went pale with panic.

Jack gave him a slow, meaningful look. "Didn’t you just say the SL Chairman is ruthless? And yet you still dared to piss him off? Impressive."

Eric’s knees nearly buckled. He swallowed hard, terror rising in his throat.

He wasn’t afraid of offending Brooks. But the Chairman behind SL? That was a different story.

But... wasn’t Riley supposed to be the Chairman’s special favorite? He’d been helping her—why the hell should he have to apologize?

But he didn’t have time to think about it. Eric’s voice cracked. "Where’s the Chairman? I—I’ll go apologize right now..."

The assistant said calmly, "Upstairs."

Eric sucked in a shaking breath and started toward the stairs, his face stricken with fear.

The entire ballroom fell silent, stunned at the way things had turned. Riley was left standing alone, her face bloodless.

Madam Nelson panicked and hissed, "What’s wrong with Hunter? Everyone’s watching—Why send Eric up to apologize!"

Riley felt a chill crawl up her spine.

Right... Hunter wouldn’t do that to her.

Unless... what if the SL Chairman wasn’t Hunter at all?

No. No way. Impossible!

...

Upstairs, the assistant led Eric to an office. Eric had to take several deep breaths to steady himself.

He couldn’t understand it—he’d done Riley a favor! Why was the Chairman angry?

But he’d worked at SL for years—maybe he’d overstepped, but surely the Chairman would be lenient, especially for Riley’s sake.

Feeling a bit calmer, Eric knocked. The door wasn’t even shut all the way—it swung open with a push.

Eric had never met the SL Chairman in six years here, but he’d always imagined some young, imposing man, especially if he was Riley’s so-called childhood friend.

Instead, there was no man at all.

Sitting calmly in the Chairman’s big chair, scrolling through her phone without even looking up, was—

Selina.

Eric froze, words dying in his throat. Then he snapped, voice cracking in outrage, "What the hell are you doing here?!"

He puffed himself up, determined to show the Chairman how loyal he was—surely the Chairman would appreciate it.

"This is the Chairman’s office! Who do you think you are, sitting there like you own it?"

Selina finally lifted her eyes, giving him the barest glance before lowering them again with visible disinterest.

Eric’s blood boiled. "I’m talking to you!"

He’d been on edge all day about pissing off the Chairman, and now he found Selina here acting like she owned the place?

Surely she was trying to cozy up to the Chairman too.

But even if she knew him, she’d never outrank Nelson’s precious Riley.

Eric sneered. "I want to speak to the Chairman. Get the hell out."

Selina didn’t even flinch. Her tone was flat, bored, dismissive. "You don’t have the qualifications."

Eric let out a harsh, mocking laugh. "I don’t have the qualifications? Don’t make me laugh. If I’m unqualified, what the hell does that make you?"

He sneered at her with contempt.

"This office was set up by Mr. Reid specifically for the Chairman. And you’re parked in the Chairman’s chair like you own it. You think he’d be okay with that? Wait until he hears about this, Ms. Clark. Let’s see how you explain yourself then!"

Eric kept talking, voice rising as his imagination ran wild.

"What—are you here to seduce the Chairman? Figures. Nelson is the Chairman’s sweetheart, and you’re always trying to compete with her. Of course you’d try to throw yourself at him to make him dump Nelson. Sounds about right."

He snorted.

"But hey—you’re Mrs. Reid, remember? Try having some damn shame. A spoiled little canary who only knows how to keep men warm in bed—how do you even think you compare to Nelson?"

Seeing Selina still silent, Eric thought he’d found her weak spot. His tone turned smug.

"Not afraid of Mr. Reid finding out you’re cheating on him? I’ll tell you what—help me smooth things over with the Chairman, and I’ll keep your little secret."

Selina finally lifted her head and looked at him steadily.

She remembered Eric well enough. When she first arrived at SL, he hadn’t been particularly talented, but he’d been diligent, hardworking—that’s why she’d kept him on.

Amazing how six years had transformed him into... this.

Eric kept rambling.

"Women like you, all looks and no skills—I’ve seen plenty. All of you trying to sleep your way up the ladder. Let me give you some advice. The Chairman’s no fool. You think he’d want someone like you?"

He sneered.

"When Mr. Reid inevitably tosses you aside, and the Chairman isn’t interested either, you’ll have burned both bridges. What will you do then?"

The office went quiet for two seconds. The air felt heavy.

Selina’s expression didn’t change. "So?"

Eric puffed himself up.

"So, when the Chairman asks about the delay at the press conference, don’t you dare pin it on anyone else. Take responsibility yourself."

The words had barely left his mouth when Selina gave a short, cold laugh.

Eric felt a flicker of unease but didn’t have time to say more.

A knock sounded at the door.

Selina simply said, "Come in."

Brooks entered respectfully, holding a stack of documents. He set them neatly on the desk.

Eric sneered in his head. This Brooks is a moron. Look at him bowing and scraping for Selina—a woman!

Brooks was just the Chairman’s lackey. He’d been riding coattails for years. Once he got in Nelson’s good graces, he’d be the one in charge.

But then—

"Two reports are missing. What happened?"

Selina flipped through the papers with calm authority.

Brooks replied instantly, still deferential. "There’s a big discrepancy between the two sides’ calculations. We need another round of verification."

Selina nodded lazily. "Fine. Handle it."

Eric felt his heart stutter.

That tone...

It wasn’t the desperate, cloying tone of some scheming mistress. It sounded like... command.

No way.

Nelson had said Selina was nothing more than a kept woman. That had to be true. Right?

But... Selina was seated while Brooks stood in front of her. And Brooks didn’t seem surprised at all.

What kind of position did she hold, that SL’s second-in-command acted like this?

Eric didn’t want to think about it.

Brooks finally turned, frowning as if noticing Eric for the first time.

"What are you doing here?"

Before Eric could answer, Selina spoke in an almost amused drawl.

"He says he’s here to apologize to the Chairman."

Brooks’s expression twisted immediately into something caught between pity and exasperation.